This invention relates to the field of stringed instruments and particularly to that segment relating to devices for muting the sounds of vibrating strings.
One of the earliest mutes for stringed instruments was disclosed by Kozelek, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,518,935, dated 1924. In use, Kozelek's mute, which is fabricated of a soft, pliable material composed of woven strands of wool, cotton, silk or the like, is positioned under the strings of a violin between its bridge and finger board. The tone of the instrument can be varied changing the position of the mute.
Schuh, U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,055, dated 1946, discloses a practice mute comprising a solid brass insert mountable over the bridge of a stringed instrument by wedging the insert onto the sides of the bridge. In overcoming the inertia of the dense brass mute, the bridge loses vibration energy, dampening the vibrations of the strings.
Si-hon, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,350, dated 1958, discloses a device having a soft, resilient tubing which can be pressed against the strings of an instrument to mute it.
Lemon, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,917, dated 1967, discloses a muting device also having a structure formed of a soft, resilient material but one which can be pressed downwardly and rearwardly against the strings of an instrument.
Rhodes, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,165, dated 1979, discloses a muting device having means for clamping the strings of an instrument between two layers of a soft, resilient material.
Jabolonski, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,560, dated 1987, closes a muting device mountable on the bridge of a stringed instrument, the device having a structure fabricated from a soft, resilient material in which are formed a plurality of spaced apart vertical slots for straddling the strings. In use, the sides each s lot contact one of the strings.
In general, the prior art teaches that a mute should neither bend the strings of an instrument nor touch its sound box. Otherwise, if the mute were to bend the strings, it would change the pitch of the instrument.
Moreover, to the applicant's knowledge, there is no prior art device which can be used to mute an acoustic guitar; nor is there any such device which can be used to mute a banjo without causing it, while muted, to sound like a guitar.